Boot Camp Rocked!

(Proviso: I have only gone once, so I don't want this post to haunt me in the future if I drop out in three weeks because of the cold weather and lethargy)

That said, I had a great time and really enjoyed it. Our instructor, Donovan Buttz, kicks tushy! (Ba-dump-bump! Clash!!!!).

For me, the evening session is a vast improvement over a 6 am session, although I'd have to say that the 6am one was more intense in terms of huffing and puffingand running around like crazy the whole time, but I also think I was less in shape that time around, so it is hard to be accurate about it.

The class was quite large - 15-20 people. Mostly women, and I was one of the fitter women by appearance (although some veterans who were more overweight were clearly stronger and could do the moves better).  Most of the women were built more like me and Indya - narrower in the hips and butt and thicker through the middle, which I found interesting.

Because it was a large class, there were some 3-5 minute lulltimes because we had do do some of the activities in two sets. Hopefully a handful of people will drop out, but it won't really matter, because I can tell I got a good all-over workout.

Afterwards I talked to Donovan, and he said this was an easier start and it will harder in terms of routine, but also easier because we'll be fitter and more capable.  The moves were very similar to some of the Jackie Warner stuff, with a bit more small-burst cardio worked in, like suicide lines and stepping up-and-down off of an aerobics step, or doing gallops sideways aroung the gymnasium (size of a basketball court).  For the muscle-building part, we did these shoulder bar things, bicep curls, push-ups, a push-up like thingy for the triceps, a plank, side planks, lunges, squats, and 5-6 crunch variations. 

One that we did I had not seen in JW, and I think you guys might like it. You lay on your side, arm closer to the mat out perpendicular to your body, other arm up with hand behind your head (like for a regular crunch or sit-up). The basically you do a crunch on your SIDE, pulling your legs in and your upper torso down. It was very hard.

Even though this is more time consuming than JW (door-to-door 2 hrs.), I like it better. I workout better when it is a specific task, and I like the social or team component better - people joking around, and a live instructor who demonstrates, motivaes, and corrects as necessary.  I expect that once I have the moves down more, my opinion will change, but getting out of the house to a destination helps me right now.

All of my muscles are tired, and more so than they were when I did JW - but I think that is just because I was in a live class.

Also, Hazel and Vivian had fun. The JCC has babysitting - $3/hr for 2 kids!!! Pat was able to work out too.  Of course, we walk in to pick them up, and who do we see raiding some other little girl's ziplock bag full of cheesy rice cakes, but Hazel. We're in for trouble with her. That kid LOVES to eat, and is too young to be an emotional or stress eater as far as I can tell.  It was funny and mortifying at the same time.  The babysitters did say she ran around and played most of the time.